


Except for the Night

by A_Touch_Of_Insanity



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Cuddling, Love Confessions, M/M, Picnics, honestly this is just more fluff, staring dreamily into each other's eyes, the good stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 15:08:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8921854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Touch_Of_Insanity/pseuds/A_Touch_Of_Insanity
Summary: Response to a tumblr prompt: cuddling under the stars.





	

Cassian is not normally a spontaneous kind of person. He tends to think things over in detail, analyse a situation before making a decision and always ready to change his mind should it prove to be the wrong one.

Today, however is different.

It is Cassian and Bodhi’s last day at the base on Dantooine before they are moved to be stationed on Hoth and whilst the facilities there are adequate, the weather is cold to stay the least. There won’t be many opportunities to enjoy the beauty of nature on the frozen planet.

And so Cassian does not dismiss the instantaneous idea that pops into his head in the mess hall. He goes with his instinct; sneaking back into the kitchen and shoving whatever food takes his fancy into the bag he has slung over his shoulder. He is subtle and confident enough that the people who notice him assumed he is doing something important and so leave him to it.

Cassian rushes back into the hall where all manner of rebel pilots, soldiers and commanders were sat at long tables. He spies his target just moving to sit down with a tray of food at the end of one of them.

‘We’re leaving,’ Cassian states as he arrives, snagging the other man’s hand to interlock their fingers as he pulls him to his feet again.

‘I was just about to eat!’ Bodhi protests and Cassian rolls his eyes.

'Don’t worry about that, let’s go,’ he insists and drags a confused and somewhat reluctant Bodhi out of the dining area. Once in the corridor he drags their hands apart and glares, somewhat indignant.

'You better have a good reason for this.’

Cassian smiles wryly, leaning close and softly kissing his cheek. 'Trust me?’

He blushes and nods, sinking into the contact. Cassian, with one arm slung around Bodhi’s shoulders, directs them down corridors to a small hanger where land transport is kept. Flashing a grin at the operators, he selects a speeder and hops on, gesturing for the other man to get on behind him.

Cassian is aware the whole journey of where their bodies are touching; the heat from Bodhi’s arms circling his waist, thighs clamped against his own and chest pressed to back palpable even through the layers of clothing. It becomes hard to concentrate on driving when he leans forward and rests his chin on Cassian’s shoulder.

'You know, if you wanted this to be a proper surprise you should’ve blindfolded me,’ Bodhi whispers close to his ear to be heard over the sound of the engine. It is said nonchalantly enough but saturated with implications that can’t help but bring a smirk to Cassian’s face.

'Another time, perhaps.’

It doesn’t take long to get there but  it was already late when they set out. The sunsets on Dantooine are spectacular but brief and Cassian is desperate not to miss it, leading to some recklessly fast driving. By the time they step off the speeder, both are giddy with nerves and adrenaline from the ride.

'Oh…wow,’ Bodhi breathes, grinning as he takes in their location.

Cassian has spent a lot of time at the base on Dantooine and so knew some pretty spectacular places. He had used most of them in means of seduction but this one spot he had always kept to himself. Until now of course.

He took a moment to wonder what was going through Bodhi’s head as he gazed at the view, eyes dreamy. He is sure that the Empire did not let their pilots roam freely about the planets they inhabited and so perhaps he has not seen a surface view as stunning.

The sun is casting brilliant red across the sky, illuminating the horizon where it touches. The clouds are turned a more mellow pink which is certainly no less beautiful. All of this is, of course, reflected across the vast mirrored surface of the lake, surrounded by rolling grassland and continuing as far as the eye can see.

Cassian takes Bodhi’s hand once again and leads him up to a slight hill, an outcrop in the lake where from the end they are surrounded by water on three sides.

'This place is…’ Bodhi begins before falling short of words.

'It is,’ he says, both agreeing with and mocking his speechlessness. Bodhi gives him a cynical glare, cut short by a gurgling from his stomach. A smile breaks on both their faces, chests bubbling with repressed giggles. 'Luckily for you, I brought food.’

They settle down on the grass; a tough variety but long and somewhat spongey, and divide the ample food between them.

The sunset is soon forgotten to all but the witnesses as evening switches to night. And they sky is set alight once more, only this time with stars.

They appear slowly at first; just the few brightest visible whilst the sky holds remnants of sunlight. By the time dark has fully onset the whole view is bright once more with twinkling points of light. Dantooine being a planet on the outer rim allows for a cross sectional view of almost the whole galaxy, a wide and bright milky path across the sky made of thousands upon thousands of individual systems. One of the moon’s is brightly crescent above them whilst the other is merely peaking over the hills behind. Again, with all this reflected in the lake it feels almost as if they are suspended in outer space, surrounded on almost ever side by radiant lights.

Cassian watches all of this mirrored in Bodhi’s eyes. To him, the bliss on the other man’s face is much more fascinating than the view.

They don’t talk much, sitting side by side, hand in hand, Bodhi staring up at the wonder of the galaxy and Cassian staring at the wonder of the man he has fallen in love with. He hasn’t yet told him that. That will be for another night, he reminds himself. He’s terrified the words might just tumble out unbidden if he were to say anything at all and so he remains quiet.

When Bodhi rests his head on Cassian’s shoulder, it is a move of such comfort and familiarity it is close to bringing tears to Cassian’s eyes. Instead he just pulls Bodhi closer and listens to him begin to talk.

He talks about the systems he’s visited, pointing vaguely in their direction in the vast galaxy above. He doesn’t speak often of his experiences in the Empire and when he does it seems a heavily edited version of events; perhaps one day he’ll open up enough to share with Cassian the horrors he must have experienced. When Bodhi talks of flying, however, it is a different matter. He is beautifully unashamed with his love for being a pilot, so much so that he can still recall tales of his plights with a smile despite whose orders he was flying under. He speaks of daring feats, stunning views and terrifying situations, tracing his path with a finger pointed to the stars.

Cassian listens fondly whilst fiddling with Bodhi’s hair; stroking it and running strands through his fingers. This seems to make him sleepy and soon they are laying on the soft grass, nestled together, eyes half lidded.

Cassian quiets the other man with a languid kiss which Bodhi quickly cuts short with a yawn. They chuckle softly and press together closer; an almost impossible task considering how intimately they are lying, limbs tangled. Cassian runs his fingers up and down his arms and up to trace the lines of his throat and collarbone. Bodhi hums in approval and sighs heavily, eyes closed.

The whole world is silent enough that he can hear Bodhi’s breathing and his own heart and the click of his own  eyelids every time they open in indecision. The words writhe at the back of his throat.

With their earlier picnic they had also drank, and whatever chemicals involved have had at least some impact on his decision making processes. That’s what Cassian blames when after a long silence he utters the words he’d promised he’d wait a while longer to say.

'I think…I think I’m in love with you, Bodhi.’

He opens his eyes again to judge the other man’s reaction, but Bodhi’s own are still shut. Cassian sighs a mix of disappointment and relief upon realizing what had happened, kissing his forehead before once again settling down.

Bodhi hadn’t heard his confession; he had already fallen asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks again for reading this pile of mush. want more? my tumblr is andorandrook. want to prompt me yourself? ask on my tumblr or down in the comments here. any and all feedback is welcome! i love all of you readers, every single one of you
> 
> the title is from a proverb 'except for the night, we could never know the stars'


End file.
